Xiamen Air Review: Business & Economy + HQ Visit

INTRODUCTION

It’s been 9 years since I last flew with Xiamen Air, and this time I experienced their business class from Amsterdam to Xiamen, followed by economy class from Xiamen to Melbourne.

During my transit, I took the chance to visit their new HQ and catch up with their inflight team about onboard meal concepts, the innovative café brand, and their pre-order meal programs.

AMSTERDAM TO XIAMEN

I was originally seated in 13L but was asked to move due to another passenger’s request.

I ended up in the first row of business, just behind first class. The aircraft wasn’t their newest Boeing 787-9, but instead a 787-8, which has the older business class product.

Still, I wasn’t going to complain—it’s business class, after all.

Waiting at my seat was a bottle of Voss water, an amenity kit, a luxurious spa steam mask that heats up once opened, and the usual pillow and blanket.

Before takeoff, I was offered a choice of Henri Dubois Brut champagne (retailing around USD$30) or lemon water, along with a warm towel to freshen up.

Jess, my flight attendant, introduced herself in perfect English and efficiently took my meal and drink orders for the entire flight before departure.

While there was a bit of confusion over the menu items, she handled it well and got everything sorted.

INFLIGHT MENU

Xiamen Airlines’ business class menu offered three main meal choices: veal, chicken, or fish.

Here’s a look at the menu and drinks list:

INFLIGHT SERVICE

Departure from Amsterdam was at 9:30 PM, and after takeoff, the crew began the service, completing everything within 1 hour and 40 minutes.

The service kicked off with an after-takeoff drink and warm nuts, followed by a hot towel.

Soon after, a tray appeared featuring tuna tataki with wakame salad and a separate lettuce salad with green soybeans. Alongside the meal were pre-plated butter, salt and pepper shakers, olive oil, and bread.

The tuna was beautifully presented, though the lettuce salad was a bit sparse with some wilted leaves, but it did the job.

The tray was eye catching — clean and elegant, with sleek napkin rings and cutlery that stood out.

While there wasn’t an option to choose the type of bread, it’s a small touch I’ve seen offered on other airlines that can make the service feel a bit more premium.

That said, no bread came with the main meal, but this might be a cultural difference. I didn’t ask for any, though I’m sure the crew would’ve been happy to help if I had.

I’ve also heard that in premium cabins, if bread is pre-plated, they usually offer a couple of varieties, which they did here.

But since it was a night flight, I imagine passengers might prefer not being disturbed too much anyway.

For the main, I chose the veal with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The dish was tasty but strangely presented, with the veal tucked under the broccoli—perhaps intentionally, to showcase the writing and design on the plate.

The veal was cooked perfectly, and the flavours were outstanding, making it the star of the show in terms of meals on the flight.

Dessert included ice cream, fruit, and a caramel cream. While the ice cream had melted, the caramel dessert was lovely.

BATHROOMS

The bathrooms were impeccably clean throughout the flight, with the attentive crew handing out towels to passengers after each use and regularly checking the facilities.

SLEEP AND AMENITY KIT

I managed to get a few hours of sleep, thanks to the comfortable pillow, blanket, and a more substantial doona provided by the airline.

The amenity kit was a collaboration with English brand Temple Spa, featuring a mouthwash, eye mask, dental kit, earplugs, skin balm, and a comb.

All packaging was recyclable, and the kit itself was quite stylish.

SECOND SERVICE

Two hours before landing, the crew began the second meal service. It was a one-tray concept with everything delivered at once, and the bread served on the side.

The breakfast tray included cornflakes, fresh fruit, apple tart, and shakshuka with mushrooms and spinach.

The eggs were a bit rubbery but still edible. Once again, the elegant cutlery made an appearance. Although I was quite full from the earlier meal, I ended up sampling a little of everything..

Overall, Xiamen Air delivered an excellent premium cabin experience, with efficient service.

XIAMEN TO MELBOURNE

On the next leg of my journey, I flew economy class from Xiamen to Melbourne.

The cabin crew greeted me warmly as I found my seat, where I was surprised to find a bottle of water and some nuts already waiting.

The airline provides a blanket and pillow, and I found the legroom to be decent for economy class.

About 30 minutes after takeoff, the inflight meal service began, and I was treated to a Fujian-inspired meal, accompanied by a cute note from the staff explaining the options.

My tray included a starter salad, fresh fruit, chocolate cake, and condiment sachets of peanuts and a spicy sauce that really boosted the flavour of the main dish.

Without the spicy sauce, the meal would have been a bit bland, but the added touch made a big difference.

For economy class, the amount of food provided was excellent.

It was refreshing to receive a small salad, fresh fruit, dessert, and even a wet towel with this economy meal—a thoughtful touch that’s often missing on other airlines.

For example, on Qantas economy flights, these extras aren’t typically included, making Xiamen Air’s offering feel more generous and attentive to passenger comfort.

The three additional items on my tray are not typically offered in economy class, but the airline surprised me with them.

Turtle Cake Print Peanut Cake: A light peanut-flavoured ice cream that reminded me of a Reese’s cup, created in collaboration with Black Pearl One Diamond Restaurant QUEEN (USD$4).

Buddha Skipping Walls: A premium dish featuring abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, scallops, snail meat, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots symbolising blessings and longevity, crafted by top Chinese chef Lin Qingxiang (USD$26).

Grapefruit/Jasmine Iced Coffee: An interesting and refreshing drink that took some getting used to but was enjoyable (USD$2.80).

Xiamen Air is committed to sustainability and has replaced plastic cups with their Egret Bamboo series, using renewable bamboo pulp for cups, trays, and tableware, and biodegradable PLA straws.

In 2021 alone, this change reduced plastic use by 15.92 million cups, saving 167.16 tons of plastic.

Breakfast was served two hours before landing, with a choice of Western or Asian options.

I chose the Western breakfast, which included eggs, sausages, potatoes, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, fruit, yoghurt, and jam.

It was a substantial second meal service, and overall, the quality and quantity of the food offered was excellent for economy class.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Xiamen Air exceeded my expectations across both business and economy class. The attention to detail, from the inflight meals to the service, was impressive.

I purchased my own economy class ticket, and the airline was aware I was travelling with them, upgrading me on the first sector.

The staff onboard knew I was there and provided a bit of extra attention, which is why I haven’t focused too much on the service aspect. That said, I observed them interacting with other passengers just as politely and attentively as they were with me.

A big thank you to the airline for the little surprises in economy class—they truly made the experience memorable.